Packages for food products are well known from the prior art and primarily serve the purpose of conserving the freshness and taste of the packed product. Therefore, the packages are often sealed and thus impermeable to moisture and gas.
Flexible packaging material is used for liquid, gel, paste, purée etc. Typically a notch is provided in the package which allows for a tearing of the packaging material to open the package and a dispensing of the product therein. The packaging material part which has been torn to create the opening may be removed from the package and disposed off or may remain attached to the package. Usually opening of such flexible packages containing liquids or gels require two hands, one holding the package and one tearing the package. Alternatively a scissor may be used for opening the pack.
In the field of sports or performance products such are liquids or gels e.g. energy gels, amino acid gels etc., are meant to be consumed in completely different conditions than for example confectionary products. Performance gels are often consumed during training or competitions. Thus, the packaging thereof has to be opened with wet or sweaty hands, during running, during cycling etc. Thus, the packaging sometimes has to be opened with a single hand and/or using the mouth (lips or teeth). If the athletes have to carry the product it is desirable that it can be easily stored and precisely dosed. Further products high in carbohydrates are when spilled very sticky.
In the field of packaging, upright pouches exist which comprising vertical running folds of packaging material joined by peelable seal. By pulling in the package transversal to the peelable seal in a horizontal manner, the seal opens into one aperture in the top of the package. The opening of these pouches requires the grip of two hands which makes them inconvenient for sports or performance products. Further, the dosing of the product from the aperture is hard to control.
There is therefore a need for an easy opening package of flexible material which can be used in sports or performance. Further, there is a need for a package, which allows for a precise dosing of the product and prevent spillage.
Preferably the opening of the packaging should maintain the packaging as one coherent piece in order to avoid littering of smaller pieces of the packaging material.
The present invention seeks to address the above-described problems. The invention also aims at other objects and particularly the solution of other problems as will appear in the rest of the present description.